bukit peninsula.

Driving through the twisty hilly roads on the way to the Bukit Peninsula in Bali, I knew we were in for a treat. It felt great to get out of the hustle and bustle of Kuta and to explore more of the quieter, more beautiful side of Bali. We grabbed a motorbike as soon as we arrived and hopped over to a lunch spot right down the street. It was called Buddha Soul and man oh man it was delicious. We devoured our lentil burgers and banana shakes and were ready to check out the beaches. Our first stop was Pedang Pedang Beach. A huge bridge led us to the first beautiful view of the ocean. Crystal blue water with rocks jutting out around made for a wonderful sight. The beach was so beautiful. There were little coves and caves and rocks covered in moss all around. Next, we went to Uluwatu, which is THE surf spot. Instead of walking down to the beach, we walked through a little surf town built into the side of a cliff and ended up at a  restaurant with the most spectacular view. And lucky us, the sun was just beginning to set. We sat out on a deck, watched some crazy surfers and soaked in the sun setting behind the ocean. It was like watching a really really neat surf video, but live right in front of us. The waves were crazy and I have never seen people surf a wave so big and stay up for so long. That night we stuffed our faces with an Italian feast. It was SO nice to eat at a nice restaurant with a beautiful outdoor setting. It was a real contrast to life in Thailand. The next days were spent eating at Buddha Soul a lot and driving to the other beaches: Dreamland, Bingin, and Balangan. Each beach offered a different crowd and different sights. Getting to each of the beaches was also a hike. All of the beaches are surrounded by cliffs so going down to the beaches were not so bad, but hiking up hundreds of stairs caused for some sore cheeks. Stephan went surfing at Balangan beach. I sat on a comfy beach chair with two dogs sitting right under me. It was relaxing, but it was also hard to take my mind off of Stephan being out in the huge waves so far out that I couldn't even spot his curly head. After two hours, he came running back in and even he was happy to be back on land. The beaches were truly amazing, and the towns connected with the beaches were quiet and relaxing. We spent three days here and were able to see five of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. Pictures do not do the beaches justice, but here is a little peak: 

Sorry for the picture overload. I have about 40 pictures of each sunset, so at least I didn't post all of them! 

1. Buddha Soul Shakes/2. Bridge over Pedang Pedang Beach/3. Beach Sign/ 4. Clearest water/ 5. Did some bargaining with this sarong lady. Sarongs galore./ 6. Just posin'/ 7. Pedang Pedang/ 8. Uluwatu--little surf town on the side of the cliff/ 9. Uluwatu view/ 10. Uluwatu sunset/ 11. Bingin/ Dreamland surfboard sign/ 12. Bingin Beach view/ 13. Bingin Beach view/ 14. Bingin Beach/ 15. Did some off-roading on this bad boy (Stephan let me stay on when we were driving over huge rocks and dirt mounds, but we did see a guy make his girlfriend walk up the mountain while he drove, so thanks for the ride Stephan ;))/ 16. Feelin dreamy in Dreamland/ 17. Balangan beach sunset/ 18. Uluwatu cave/ 19. Another Uluwatu sunset